Three takeaways as Kansas State football transitions from preseason camp to game prep

MANHATTAN — Preseason camp is over, the players are back in class and Kansas State's football season opener is less than two weeks away.

As the Wildcats transitioned into game prep for their 2022 debut against South Dakota, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, coach Chris Klieman sounded both upbeat and optimistic.

The Wildcats practiced Friday, Saturday and Sunday, took Monday off for the first day of classes, and were back at it Tuesday. Klieman said this week will represent a "mock game week," including a mock game Friday night.

"Just trying to get underneath the lights — 6, 7, 8 o'clock, that range — just to get acclimated to that," he said. "And then we'll start truly into our game week a week from yesterday."

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On Sunday, the team announced its six captains for the coming season, and there were no big surprises. Representing the offense are quarterback Adrian Martinez, running back Deuce Vaughn, wide receiver Kade Warner and lineman Cooper Beebe, along with nose tackle Eli Huggins and linebacker Daniel Green from the defense.

"Excited about those guys and how they represent Kansas State on the field, off the field, and we're excited about the leadership that those guys are going to bring, as well as a bunch of other guys," Klieman said. "We had a lot of guys receive votes."

Of the six, Martinez, Warner and Huggins are all super-seniors, Green a senior and Vaughn and Beebe juniors. Martinez and Warner both are transfers from Nebraska.

As the Wildcats begin the countdown to the regular season, here are three takeaways from the recently completed camp:

More depth and more talent across the board

While Klieman didn't highlight any specific battles for starting jobs, he indicated that he expects more players to play significant roles this year than in his first three seasons at K-State.

"I think more the amount of guys that we feel can contribute this year than it's been in the last couple of years, whether that's on special teams, whether that's on offense and defense," Klieman said. "We went through the depth chart of special teams in here (Monday) and we have three and four deep at some spots, that we're going to play some young guys to find out if they're ready for offense and defense by what they do on (special) teams.

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"I'd say we're getting closer to who are those 16 to 18 guys that are going to take the lion's share of the reps. But position battles, we're going to split time in a lot of spots."

The Wildcats appear to go at least two deep at most position groups. The safety position, a concern heading into the spring and summer, has been a pleasant surprise as transfers Josh Hayes, Kobe Savage and Drake Cheatum have had a positive impact to go with returnees TJ Smith and Cincere Mason.

Klieman's biggest depth concern is at linebacker. Green returns as a preseason all-Big 12 pick in the middle, backed up by senior Nick Allen, and Austin Moore has been singled out by more than one coach for his improvement on the weak side.

But junior Khalid Duke missed most of last season with a torn ACL and is just making his way back, and Nebraska grad transfer Will Honas has been slowed during camp as well.

"Linebacker, just because we have some new guys that haven't played there much," Klieman said. "We have to keep working guys.

"(Redshirt freshman) Des Purnell comes to mind as an example. Shawn Robinson is new to the program. Khalid didn't get a chance to play many games — one game really — at linebacker, so we're top-heavy with the starters being really good. Now we've just got to keep developing depth."

Young K-State players making their mark

Contributing to the team's depth are several younger players who have taken a step forward since last year.

Redshirt freshman DJ Giddens appears to have separated himself in the battle to back up All-American Vaughn at running back.

"DJ has made that next step for us in practice. Now we need DJ to make that next step in games," Klieman said of Giddens, a 6-foot-1, 212-pounder from nearby Junction City. "I think he's more comfortable and confident. We believe in him.

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"DJ is ready for this and he's prepared himself."

At cornerback, where senior starters Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe return, redshirt freshman Omar Daniels has made a name for himself, as has true freshman Jacob Parrish from Olathe North.

The Wildcats are set at quarterback with Martinez backed up by junior Will Howard, but Klieman said redshirt freshman Jake Rubley had an impressive camp and may have moved into the No. 3 spot. And at linebacker, true freshman Jake Clifton is in the mix.

So just how many true freshmen will ultimately play a role throughout the season and how many will be limited to four games or less in order to preserve their redshirts?

"Jacob Parris is one that we've talked about," Klieman said. "(Safety) VJ Payne is another one that was working in the two-deep. And then Jake Clifton has taken some reps in the two-to-three group that has a chance.

"There's 15 freshmen that are in the mix on special teams that we have to make the decision on, are we going to try to play those guys early in that nonconference season and then shelve them or say no, they're going to keep playing, or (are we) going to handpick those four games."

Sometimes less is more

Klieman and his support staff made a concerted effort during preseason camp to reduce injuries by being more judicious with practice time, and it appears to have paid dividends.

"It has worked really well," Klieman said. "We've really eliminated I'd say most of the soft tissue injuries, which has been a little bit of an issue.

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"Part of that is cutting back a little bit. Part of that is the overall emphasis and education by myself, by Mindy (Hoffman, head trainer) and her staff, by Tru (strength coach Trumain Carroll) and his staff, and by (director of diet and nutrition) Scott Trausch and his staff, of educating the guys on how to take care of their body."

The response from the players was positive.

"We needed to get them out of here a little bit earlier at night during camp, and seeing guys fresh every day," Klieman said. "That's a grind (where you) have camp for three-plus weeks.

"But I commend our guys. They were fresh every day. Maybe we didn't have some days as good as others on the practice field or the offense win or the defense win, but we were a lot more fresh."

The Wildcats were battling some injuries as camp closed, but should be closer to full strength by game week. Klieman said he expects Duke to practice for the first time this week, while offensive tackles Andrew Leingang and Carver Willis should be back as well after missing time over the past three weeks.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football shifts focus from camp to season opener